Caig taking Sun Mist’s last foal to sales

Winton horsewoman, Michelle Caig, has been in the harness racing industry for twenty eight years and was initially introduced to the sales through plaiting horses for the late Paul Browman.

At this year’s sale she’ll present the last of the progeny of her broodmare gem, Sun Mist.

The first mare Michelle ever bought was Mitequila, an Andrel mare out of the four win Transport Chip mare Trist Mist.

She bred her first foal by Courage Under Fire out of the mare. Named Mistefire, in 2005 he was her first sales yearling and was purchased by Tim Butt for $30,000.

Many of her successes at the sales has been with yearlings out of Sundon trotting mare Sun Mist, a daughter of champion trotting mare Merinai. She leased Sun Mist in 2010 after answering an advertisement in the Harness Racing Weekly.

Michelle has been at her Price Road property for twenty years where she runs her mares and prepares her yearlings. She built a new house on the property and then subdivided the house and two acres, retaining the stable block and the balance of the land where she’s built another house which she currently lives in.

“It’s really good land. I’ve got a bit of iron in my bore. You can’t drink the bore water out of the ground but the horses do really well on it.”

This year Michelle will present two well bred fillies at the NZB Standardbred Yearling Sale – the last foal out of Sun Mist and an Elite Stride filly out of Shes Like The Wind – a Majestic Son daughter of Sun Mist.

Lot 287: Ella Elite – Elite Stride – Shes Like The Wind (Majestic Son) Bay filly

This filly is by freshman sire Elite Stride (Muscle Hill) whom champion reinsman Anthony Butt described as the fastest trotter he’d driven. This son of Muscle Hill won nine races including the Group One Need For Speed by 23.5 metres, and the Group Two NSW Trotting Derby.

“He was the Three Year Old Trotter of the Year and Anthony said he was the real deal. Ella is a wee bit hot but I quite like that. She’s built like a colt and I think she’ll go early.”

Shes Like The Wind is a one win Majestic Son mare. She won her first start by eight and three quarter lengths at Omakau, breaking a track record. She’s out of broodmare gem Sun Mist, a daughter of Rowe Cup and Dominion Handicap winner Merinai. Sun Mist is the dam of twelve foals with ten to race for ten winners.

Lot 307: Watch The Sun Rise – Majestic Son – Sun Mist (Sundon) Bay filly

This is the last foal out of Sun Mist, the unraced daughter of Merinai which won nineteen races and $244,155. Sun Mist foals have won in total eighty races, her biggest winner being Pretty Sunday (15 wins and $183,664). Other winners have been Sonofanearl (22), Rosemma (10), Stuey D (12), October Rain (5), He’s Like The Wind (6), Leaf Stride (5) and Flying Without Wings (3).

“Brad Williamson has the eleventh foal Castle Hill, (What The Hill) and quite likes him, so this filly is Sun Mist’s twelfth foal. She’s a lovely big filly who is very sensible and loves everything you do with her. She’s quite the pro really for her age. The fillies from the family have performed better than the boys. Rosemma was a lovely two year old who beat Habibti at Rangiora.”

Watch The Sun Rise is bred to the same cross as Sunnys Sister, the winner of seven races including the Group One New Zealand Trotting Oak and the Group One New Zealand Trotting Derby.

Michelle says with her work and building a new house she’s spent less time this year preparing her two fillies, but that it hasn’t mattered.

“They’re probably the best mannered horses I’ve had (laughter).”

Since HRNZ and Entain have increased the number of higher stakes races for  square gaiters, there are more opportunities for trotters and Michelle is excited about the future, for trotters.

Michelle Caig’s yearling photos and videos can be viewed on the NZB Standardbred website by clicking here or viewed in the flesh on the SBSR tour on Monday 12^th and Tuesday 13^th February.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink